Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has described as mentally deranged, some supporters of VeryDarkMan, who the legal luminary said have been issuing death threats targeting himself and his daughter.
The senior lawyer has been trying to clear the air over allegations by the social media commentator that Falana was involved in the arranging for pardon for cross dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.
The senior advocate and his daughter have reportedly become targets of intimidation from social media supporters of Martin ‘VeryDarkMan’ Otse, who initially exposed the alleged scandal.
Speaking during a YouTube interview with Sahara Reporters on Monday, Falana revealed the extent of these threats.
“Some of these guys, who I believed were mentally deranged, have dared me that if I go to court, they will burn my office, and they’ve also sent messages to one of my daughters that if your father goes to court, we shall kill you,” he disclosed.
The legal luminary said: “I laughed and told my daughter not to worry; I’ll take it up. I have already taken it up, and we must let these guys know where we’re coming from,” he stated firmly.
The SEVANews reports that the controversy started in September when VeryDarkMan, a social media influencer, released a leaked phone call involving Bobrisky.
In the controversial audio, Bobrisky claimed that Falana and his son, popular musician Falz, were involved in a push to secure a presidential pardon in exchange for N10 million.
Both Falana and his son have vehemently denied these allegations. While Falz acknowledged that Bobrisky had reached out requesting N3 million in financial assistance, he maintained that no such offer was made over the issue of pardon. Falana in response emphasized his track record of pro bono work in pardon cases.
“In the last 42 years of my legal practice, I have never collected a kobo to write a letter of pardon for anybody,” he asserted.
He then detailed a successful 2022 case where he secured pardons for six Nigerians who had been wrongfully detained at Kirikiri. Speaking about his son’s integrity, Falana painted a picture of Falz as fiercely independent.
“The guy doesn’t want anybody to know he’s my son,” he revealed, recounting how Falz deliberately chose his stage name to avoid riding on his father’s reputation. “He said he didn’t want anybody’s name to open doors for him but wanted his own doors.”
The allegations have sparked significant institutional response, leading to suspensions within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), EFCC investigations, and a House of Representatives probe.